Top Ten Tuesday: The Most Unique YA Books I’ve Read

This list is a mixture of everything from middle-grade fiction to one story I’d only recommend for older teens. I never thought I’d be talking about some of these books in the same Top Ten Tuesday Post, but that’s the beauty of asking for unique suggestions!

1. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. Yes, there’s a monster creeping around in this book. No, this isn’t a scary story. In fact, it probably won’t be anything like you expect it to be at all. That’s why I like it so much.

2. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally. There aren’t many teenage girls out there playing high school football. This part of the plot alone was enough to catch my eye.

3. Annie Gomez and the Gigantic Foot of Doom by Jay Cutts. Not only is the title a lot of fun, the idea of the main character using a secret weapon but still failing to stop the bad guys is almost unheard of!

4. Stolen: A Letter to my Captor by Lucy Christopher. Gemma is kidnapped and taken to Australia by a young, handsome man who has clearly been planning this crime for a long time. The idea of a kidnapper being kind and gentle really weirds me out. I still don’t know what I think of this story, but it definitely is unique.

5. El Deafo by Cece Bell. This was such a fun spin on superhero stories. There have definitely been times when I’ve wished I could hear quiet conversations on the other side of a building!

6. Paradox Love by Dorothy Gravelle. Sometimes happily ever after ends when you’re 17. Romances don’t generally start with one of the main characters dying, so I couldn’t wait to see what happened after that.

7. Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan. Being unique isn’t a bad thing. The main character in this book is exactly the kind of person I would have wanted to be friends with in middle school!

8. Push by Sapphire. Imagine being 16 years old, illiterate, and pregnant with your second child. Precious has everything stacked against her, but she’s determined to find a way to make a better life for her and her baby. This should only be read by high schoolers due to its mature content.

9. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. I loved graveyards when I was a kid. Growing up in one, though, would have been an entirely different story.

10. The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys by Chris Fuhrman. First of all, the cover for this book is amazing. I also love the fact that the main character makes fun of everything and everyone…even himself!

Comments

Counting by 7’s is one I wanted to read last year and didn’t get to. Also The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys looks SO COOL. I have never heard of it or seen that cover before. I love a main character that doesn’t take things too seriously.

A Monster Calls has been on my TBR forever, but I keep procrastinating it because I know it’ll be sad… Even though I also heard so many good things. And I heard so many good things about Stolen as well!

Yeah, I have a few books on my TBR pile that I’ve been putting off because I expect them to be sad as well. I think you have to be in the right frame of mind to get into that kind of story sometimes, but it’s really worth it once you do.

Stolen was a really interesting book to me. I saw a lot of people shipping the two characters which is awful because it’s a realistic portrayal of Stockholm’s syndrome. I think it’s absolutely necessary and the ending is chilling. I’ve also seen A Monster Calls on several lists here; maybe I will have to read it after all!

By Starlight

Review Star Rating Definitions

1 Star – We currently do not review any story with a 1 star rating. If it’s DNF or a “wall-banger” we decline to review.

2 Stars — Not wonderful, but tolerable. There may be some minor editing glitches but not enough to stop you reading. Not a wall-banger, but nothing you’d re-read. This is a book you would borrow from the library – not buy- and never check out again. You might recommend it to a friend with a mention of the glitches, knowing that something in the plot or story would still appeal to them regardless.

3 Stars — Good. Mostly enjoyable. You made it through and didn’t consider it a waste of time or money. The story was strong enough or the conflict tight enough, so even when the book faltered, it was able to draw you back in and keep you. There’s a chance you’ll recommend it to a friend, but it wouldn’t go on your keeper shelf.

4 Stars — Very Good. You’re glad you were the one who got to review the book. You would probably buy it and would definitely recommend it to your friends. You liked the characters and the plot. The writing style was good and the editing clean.

5 Stars — Great! You would definitely buy this book. You would definitely recommend it to your friends. You really loved the characters and the plot and would consider looking for this authors back list or making her an autobuy. The writing and editing were superb.

LASR Best Book – For a book or story that is truly exceptional. You think about it when you’re not reading it. You wonder what happens to the characters when you finish. You would absolutely buy everything else this author had to offer. The highest praise – and reserved for only a few.

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Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. On occasion, we review books we have purchased with our own money or borrowed from a public library. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.